Unexpected
by Rutabaga4
Summary: The girls are away in Europe when a tragic event occurs.
1. Chapter 1

Unexpected

"Hello Gilmore residence"

Emily rolled off like she had a thousand times before.

"Yes I'm Emily Gilmore, yes my daughter and my granddaughter, please what's this about?" Emily was unaware she was now pacing the floor.

"What happened!" she suddenly shouted while Richard looked up from his oatmeal startled.

There was a long pause as Emily listened, the colour slowly vanishing from her face.

Richard jumped up from the table and rushed towards his wife, "What is it," but his wife only held up her hand in response.

He waited anxiously for the call to end, while he tried to make sense of the one sided conversation he heard.

"There in Europe, I got a postcard just the other day. Are you sure it's them, wait you talked to Rory." Emily was sure there must be a mistake.

"Rory my granddaughter, it's a nickname. She's okay, when you talked was she all right. I see, I see," Richard was pacing now desperate to understand what was going on.

"Of course she's upset and my daughter, my daughter Lorelai," Emily audibly gasped then slumped towards the ground.

Richard joined her on the floor searching her eyes for something that made sense, Emily just sat holding the phone tightly in her hands.

"Is she going to..." Emily started to ask but stopped short as she listened to the voice on the other end of the line.

"I need a moment to inform my husband, can you give me that number again, 01 did you say 01. I'll make the arrangements, okay goodbye."

Emily shakily tried to return the phone to it's original position, Richard had to help as he asked "What was that, please Emily what's happened."

Emily looked at Richard, a tear slowly falling down her face, "Richard there's been an accident."


	2. Chapter 2

"Accident?" Richard asked,

"Lorelai and Rory were in a car accident"

"What!"

"I don't know all the details but it happened near a small village on the outskirts of Paris. Rory's condition isn't too serious but Lorelai..." Emily paused.

"What, what about Lorelai" Richard shouted in a panic.

"It's bad Richard, oh God Lorelai..." Emily started to sob, Richard was frantic now as he tried to comfort his wife.

He found the number Emily had written down and used it to call the hospital, he talked with a nurse for over a hour both conversing in French.

As he spoke he held tightly to his wife as she sobbed gently into his chest. When he ended the call he called an airline to book a flight to France, knowing he would have shocked Lorelai by his non 1st class ticket.

They packed in silence and were at the airport early the next morning. The flight was terrifying as they worried about Lorelai deteriorating while they were in the air. Also Rory was all alone at the hospital, frightened and surrounded my people who did not speak her language.

Richard had managed to talk with Rory over the phone and tried his best to comfort her. Promising that they would be there soon and sending all his love to her and to Lorelai.

* * *

They called for a taxi and finally arrived at the hospital in the early hours of the following day.

Emily reached the reception desk and almost collapsed her fear building since they entered the hospital.

"Lorelai Gilmore" she repeated until someone was able to help. A doctor arrived and he talked with Richard as Emily's French was really not good especially in her current state.

Richard translated back to Emily as they walked briskly along the corridor, his face serious his voice strained.

"Lorelai is in the ICU Emily, she had five broken ribs and suffered a ruptured lung. She's on a machine to help her breathe and she's sedated, her right leg is broken and her right arm. She had surgery to her abdomen to stop a serious bleed and to prevent further bleeding her spleen was removed."

Emily shuddered at all the information and held up her hand to prevent any more. Richard was still listening to the inventory of her injuries, and felt he needed her to be fully informed so he went on.

"Lorelai has a severe concussion and multiple cuts and abrasions..."

"No more I don't want to hear anymore, just show her to me" Emily whimpered.

Richard sighed then braced himself as they entered the ICU, a beeping and flashing of lights overwhelming his senses.

He walked up to the bed the doctor pointed out and almost screamed, his daughter lay pale faced, bruised and bandaged.

A breathing tube extended from her mouth and monitors were checking he heart rate and blood pressure. And beside the bed fast asleep sat Rory in a large comfortable chair, set up it seemed especially for her.

Rory was equally bruised and beaten, her leg was in a cast below the knee and her arm was held against her chest in a sling.

Almost as pale as her mother she seemed to be having a troubled sleep and Emily debated about whether to wake her.

She bent down and kissed her forehead gently then looked towards Lorelai with a troubled eye.

Emily hovered beside the bed and stroked her daughters hand, several tears fell from her eyes as she tried to assess Lorelai for herself.

"We're here now, your father and me are here and we're going to take good care of you and Rory."


	3. Chapter 3

Later that morning Rory began to stir, she shifted in her chair then slowly opened her eyes. She saw her mother first and gasped as the sudden realisation of her situation struck her. Wiping a stray tear from her face she sat up, stiff from her sleeping position Rory stretched out her arm and yawned.

"Morning sweetheart" Emily greeted, Rory looked towards her mother thinking she was awake. Then she noticed her grandmother standing beside the bed, turning she saw her grandfather reading her mothers chart.

"Your here, I'm so glad your here" Rory shouted as Emily knelt down and embraced her granddaughter.

"When did you arrive,"

"A few hours ago I didn't have the heart to wake you, how are you" Emily asked.

Rory sighed and looked down at the floor, "I'm okay, fine..." she stopped mid sentence.

"I'm miserable" she looked at her mother again and started to cry, Emily followed her gaze and understood.

"It will be okay Rory, I promise everything will be good again" Emily stated softly as she gently patted Rory's back.

"Absolutely" said Richard solemnly as he reached for Rory's hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze.

Rory just rested her head on Emily's shoulder and closed her eyes, grateful she was no longer alone.

* * *

By evening both Richard and Emily were exhausted, a mixture of jet lag and emotional trauma had taken there toll. Richard had managed to find a hotel room close to the hospital, and they decided to take the room in alternate shifts. Allowing one of them to be with Rory and Lorelai, while the other rested in the hotel room.

Emily took first watch, she sent Rory back to her ward so she could have a proper nights sleep. Promising her she would sit up with Lorelai until Richard took over in a few hours time.

With Rory safely tucked up in her hospital bed Emily sat vigil beside her daughter, grateful to be there for her. She watched as the machines bleeped and the line dipped and rose. Emily held tight to Lorelai's hand unable to relinquish it, afraid if she did her daughters condition would deteriorate.

Emily looked at Lorelai's bruised and swollen face and was suddenly struck with a surge of anger. She couldn't understand why at first, but she was suddenly very mad very mad at Lorelai.

Why did she have to back pack around Europe, why did she hire that vehicle, why did she have to be so badly injured. Emily started to sob she looked towards the ceiling, willing herself to stop but she couldn't.

"Why Lorelai, why, why" she cried out hopelessly.

Eventually the tears subsided and Emily just held on to that hand, desperately regretting her outburst but knowing the anger wouldn't completely dissipate.

When Richard arrived in the early hours of the morning, Emily placed Lorelai's hand in his and kissed her goodbye.

"Look after the girls Richard" Emily asked, "Especially this one" she said as she nodding in Lorelai's direction.

She left a short time after leaving Richard alone with his daughter, as he kept her hand tightly enclosed in both of his own. He thought about all those years he had struggled with Lorelai's inability to hold her tongue, knowing now that all he wished for was to hear her speak.


	4. Chapter 4

When Rory awoke the following morning she struggled out of bed and using her crutches shuffled towards her mothers room.

Her grandfather was seated beside her mother, staring out to space. He looked up and saw Rory and immediately vacated the comfy chair and gave it to her.

"How are you sweetheart,"

"I'm fine, how's Mom have there been any changes" Rory asked.

"No change, your grandmother left a few hours ago to rest. Maybe when she gets back we could all have breakfast together."

Rory shrugged her shoulders, "I'm not leaving her alone" she said softly.

"No, maybe we can take turns. We won't leave her alone I promise" Richard replied sadly.

Rory looked back at her mother and bit her bottom lip, "I miss her" she said softly.

Richards heart ached when he heard his granddaughters confession, he missed her too but felt weak admitting it to Rory.

"I know you do, you've always been so close. I wish I could fix this but I can't, I'm so sorry Rory."

* * *

Later Emily returned and took Rory to the cafeteria for a late breakfast, she had slept at the hotel only briefly.

"Rory I want to know what happened" Emily suddenly blurted out, taking Rory by surprise.

"The accident, I need to know. I'm sorry I didn't want to upset you, but I have to know how it happened."

Rory look a deep breath, she was reluctant to relive it but seeing the look in her grandmothers eyes she knew she had too.

"We wanted to see France outside of Paris, so Mom hired a car and we took of in the early morning. We had been driving for a while so Mom talked about stopping somewhere for lunch. I wanted to push on so we could have more time to explore. I won and we stayed on the road," here Rory paused and wiped a tear from her eye.

"A short time later a vehicle suddenly veered into our car, Mom had no time to react.

The driver hit at Moms side of the car, there was a lot of noise as we spun out of control. Then I woke up in the ambulance, I called for Mom but the paramedics couldn't understand me."

"It was all my fault" Rory said sadly,

"No" Emily exclaimed defiantly.

"If we had stopped for lunch, nothing would have happened,"

"Rory...look at me" Emily asked as she took Rory's hand in hers. "This was not your fault, don't you ever think that."

Rory wiped more tears away from her eyes as she listened to Emily, she hated the decision she made that day.

"The other driver, did anyone tell you why he hit you" Emily asked.

"The policewoman who spoke English told me he fell asleep at the wheel. He was injured in the accident too, but I believe they took him to a different hospital."

"Good" Emily exclaimed, "I think I'd ring his neck if he were here." Rory looked up to see if her grandmother was joking, the angry glint in her eye proved otherwise.

"I'm so sorry you were alone Rory, I know your mother wouldn't have wanted that."

"I'm not alone now at least, your here,"

"Yes we're here" Emily replied as she gave her granddaughter an extra long hug.

* * *

As painful as it was for Rory to relive Emily was glad she knew what had happened.

She had been blaming Lorelai for the accident, for something that was out of her control. Emily had needed someone to blame and Lorelai with no voice had filled that role. She hated that the one person she should naturally defend, had been responsible in her eyes. Why did she always believe the worst when Lorleia was involved, why did she need to blame her only child.

Emily's thoughts plagued her as she sat beside Lorelai later that night, she was holding her hand again and quietly sobbing.

"I'm so sorry Lorelai, I never meant to never take your side. I don't know why I've always felt the need hurt and reproach you. I'm sorry that I was never the kind of mother that you are to Rory. Please wake up, Rory misses you so much and we're rather poor substitutes to you."

Emily wiped her eyes and stared at Lorelai, dumfounded when she noticed Lorelai was staring back.

"Lorelai" Emily gasped.


	5. Chapter 5

Lorelai stared at her mother but was unable to communicate because of the breathing tube. She reached up and tried to remove it as Emily quickly grabbed her hand to prevent her. "No, Lorelai you need to leave that alone. It's okay your going to be okay" Emily soothed.

A tear fell down Lorelai's cheek, as something flickered in her mind. Emily noticed the tear and immediately realised what was upsetting her daughter. "Rory is all right, I promise she's okay," Emily reassured.

She reached for the call button to get someone to help as Lorelai looked far from convinced.

A nurse arrived and looked towards Emily, "She's awake" she explained. The nurse then noticed her patient was indeed awake and left to inform the doctor on duty.

When the doctor entered the room Emily was gently stroking Lorelai's arm in an effort to calm he daughter. Who was becoming more and more upset, struggling to breathe on her own and anxious about her daughter.

"Hello Ms Gilmore, I'm Dr. Philipe, you were in an accident but your going to be fine. I'm going to remove this tube, so I need you to cough." He pulled out the tube quickly then gave Lorelai some oxygen to breathe as she coughed and spluttered.

"Just breathe Lorelai, try to relax and just breathe in the oxygen," he said calmly.

Lorelai struggled at first but eventually her breathing returned to normal. Emily hovered close by, frightened each time that Lorelai coughed.

"Lorelai, can you look at the light" the doctor asked as he shone a small flashlight in her eyes. "Look up, look down, good and now the other eye. Good your responses are good, can you squeeze my hand," the doctor asked as he assessed Lorelai's condition.

"Are you in any pain, any tenderness," he asked as he gently moved his hand around her abdomen.

Lorelai gasped as a pain shot through her torso, she moved the oxygen mask and tried to speak. "That hurts" she hoarsely whispered, as she moved her hand towards the pain.

The coughing began again so the doctor reached for some water, "Here try to drink a little" he offered.

Lorelai took some sips of the water and tried to breathe through the pain. She closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. "Ms Gilmore, I'm going to give you some morphine for the pain. It's normal that you feel some discomfort, you've really been through the mill, so to speak."

Doctor Philipe injected a clear liquid into Lorelai's IV bag and his patient soon relaxed. Emily stepped closer to Lorelai and kissed her on the cheek. "It's all right now, try to relax sweetheart" she whispered.

Lorelai looked at her mother a little surprised by her behaviour, "Am I dying" she said softly. Emily grimaced at the idea and quickly comforted Lorelai that she was fine and defiantly not about to die.

"Rory is well and you are going to be well very soon and then we can all go home," Emily said softly. Lorelai sighed again and closed her eyes, falling slowly back to sleep as the drugs began to take effect. Emily just watched as her daughter drifted off, stroking her face gently and whispering words of comfort.

* * *

Richard entered the room a little later and was met with the same scene he had seen for the past two days. Emily looked up as he walked in and smiled happily at her husband.

"Oh Richard, Lorelai's awake" she exclaimed.

Richard looked at his sleeping child and back to Emily with a puzzled look on his face. "She's sleeping Emily, she's not awake" he said sadly.

"No, I mean she was awake, look the breathing tubes been removed," Emily pointed excitedly.

Richard looked back at his daughter and finally noticed the absence of the tube. "Was she all right" he asked.

"She's okay, she had a little trouble breathing at first but she's okay now."

"She looks a little paler than before I left and why is she still sleeping," Richard asked anxiously.

"Lorelai is going to be fine, she was in pain so the doctor gave her some medication and it made her sleepy. That's all I promise she's going to get better and then we can take her home."

"Lorelai was in pain" Richard said solemnly as he reached for Emily's hand.

"She just had surgery, the doctor said it was normal. Look at me Richard, our daughter is going to be fine. Now stay here with Lorelai so I can tell Rory the good news."

Emily reached up and kissed Richard, she squeezed his hand affectionately then left the room to tell Rory. Richard looked back at his daughter and smiled, certain that if Emily was hopeful then he could be too.


	6. Chapter 6

Rory was asleep when Emily entered her room, so she sat beside her and gently shook her awake.

"Grandma" Rory said sleepily, "What's wrong!"

"Nothings wrong sweetheart, I came to tell you that Lorelai woke up earlier today. She's sleeping now but I'm sure she will be awake again in the morning."

"She woke up, why didn't you get me,"

"I wanted too and Lorelai was so worried about you, but there wasn't enough time. Lorelai was sleeping so soon after she woke but tomorrow you'll see her, I promise. I'm sorry I woke you, I just knew you'd want to know as soon as possible."

Rory smiled when she thought about seeing her mother and shuffled back under her bedcovers.

"Grandma will you stay with me for a while" Rory asked.

"Of course I will, now close your eyes and dream about happy things" said Emily as she stroked Rory's soft hair away from her face.

Rory closed her eyes and imagined it was her mother stroking her hair, she missed her so much.

Richard had accidently fallen asleep as he waited for Emily in Lorelai's room. He was quietly snoring, his head resting on his shoulder. Lorelai stirred at the sudden noise in the room, she shifted in the bed and slowly opened her eyes.

She saw Richard asleep on the chair close to her bed and glanced around the room looking for her mother. Lorelai winced as she moved to sit up, a sharp pain in her ribs making her gasp.

She rubbed the area with her hand and noticed for the first time that her arm was in a cast. Lorelai carefully pulled back the bed covers and saw another cast running the entire length of her right leg.

She felt a bulge under her hospital gown and pulled it up to see a large white dressing on her abdomen. Lorelai pulled back the covers and sighed as she wondered what had happened to her.

She made the mistake of sitting up a little straighter in bed and immediately paid for it

with another sharp pain in her chest. This time the pain was too severe and she cried out, waking Richard in the process.

"Lorelai are you all right" he asked once he noticed his daughters face contorted in pain.

Lorelai could do nothing but gasp as she held onto her chest with her uninjured arm.

Richard sprang into action and called for a nurse, forgetting the call button in his panic and racing from the room.

He returned with a nurse in tow demanding that she help Lorelai out of her pain. The nurse helped Lorelai to lie back down on the bed, then she injected some medicine into her IV.

"Are you allowed to do that" Richard asked forgetting to speak to her in French. When she looked at him blankly he continued, speaking in French this time.

"Can you do that, I mean shouldn't a doctor to administer pain medication" he asked.

"I have the doctors permission if my patient is in pain, it's been a while since she last had pain relief. Look your daughter is going to be in a lot of pain for a while, do you really want to wait for a doctor to arrive."

She looked a little peeved at Richard as she checked Lorelai's vitals, then she slipped out on the room without a second glance.

Richard sighed then turned to look at Lorelai, "Sweetheart are you okay" he asked softly.

Lorelai smiled at him as a strange exhaustion overcame her, she tried to keep her eyes open but couldn't.

Richard returned to his seat and held onto her hand, "It's okay Lorelai, you close your eyes and relax, your all right now."

Lorelai's eyes flickered as she drifted of to sleep, Richard beside her offering comfort as she slipped back into her dreams.

Once he was sure she was asleep again, Richard reached into his pocket for his handkerchief. He wiped his eyes as he silently wept, he hated to see Lorelai in so much pain.

Emily returned as he was wiping his eyes, he tried to shove the handkerchief back into his pocket before she saw but was too late.

"What's happened, is it Lorelai" she asked as she looked at her sleeping child.

"It's nothing" he said without conviction, Emily looked unconvinced.

"Really, then why were you upset" she demanded.

"Lorelai woke up again, she was in pain so a nurse had to give her a shot. It's just upsetting seeing her in pain and then the nurse said..." Richard suddenly stopped feeling he had already said too much.

"The nurse said what!" Emily shouted,

"The nurse said that Lorelai would be in a lot of pain for a long time. It's going to be so hard for her Emily," Richard said sadly.

Emily glanced back at Lorelai and sighed, "It's going to be hard for us all."

"But Lorelai especially" Richard remarked,

"Yes Lorelai especially" said Emily in an odd shaky voice.


	7. Chapter 7

It was almost a week now since the accident, Rory had been discharged from the hospital and was staying with her grandparents at their hotel.

Lorelai was making steady progress, she was now out of intensive care and in a private room thanks to her parents influence.

Her pain was improving, but she was still too sore to leave her bed. She had daily visits from Rory and her parents and couldn't wait to return home.

Being sick in a foreign country wasn't easy and she was tired of struggling to be understood.

Rory was visiting her this afternoon, while her parents caught up on the sleep they had been missing.

Lorelai was fanning herself with a magazine Rory had brought her, as they chatted about all the things they missed from home.

"A nice big cheeseburger from Luke's and a large cup of his coffee" Lorelai said as they reminisced.

"What about his chilli fries and his doughnuts, oh and a pancake from Al's" said Rory.

"Al doesn't make pancakes" replied Lorelai thoughtfully,

"Just checking" Rory said as she smiled.

"Hey I might have sustained a concussion but I know who I am and I know Al would never make a pancake. Pancakes are strictly Luke's domain."

"Oh Luke I miss him and Lane, Sookie, Babette and Miss Patty. I even miss Taylor" Rory said sadly.

"Hey now lets not get crazy, the others definitely but Taylor is taking it a bit far. I miss our little house," said Lorelai suddenly.

"Me too and my clothes especially my blue sweater,"

"Hey that's my blue sweater."

"Don't worry I won't stretch it out, I can't anyway we're in France and it's in America."

Lorelai laughed at the idea, remembering the time when she'd argued with Rory about her stretching out her clothes.

"You know you can keep it, think of it as a compensation for the last week."

"Mom you don't have to a make up for the past week, it wasn't your fault."

"I just didn't want this to ruin the trip we had. All those happy memories are always going to be tainted by this unhappy one."

"That's not true, we had an amazing time in Europe. This is just an unfortunate incident that couldn't be helped," said Rory thoughtfully.

"Unfortunate" Lorelai exclaimed,

"I'm so sorry this happened Rory, I'm so sorry you got hurt."

Rory looked at her mother and saw the tears in her eyes, she reached for her hand and held it tight.

"I'm so sorry this happened too and I'm really sorry that you were hurt," Rory said sadly emphasizing the word you.

Lorelai smiled at her daughter and patted the bed, Rory gently laid next to her mother as Lorelai pulled her close.

The two laid together each holding the other close, as Lorelai slowly drifted off to sleep. Rory watched Lorelai as she slept, reluctant to move in case she woke her.

She closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep too, letting the soft breaths of her mothers lull her to sleep.

She was woken a few hours later by her grandmother shaking her shoulder and repeatedly calling her name.

"Rory, Rory what are you doing" Emily asked.

Rory slowly opened her eyes and flinched at her Grandma who was leaning over her, an odd look on her face.

"Grandma" Rory asked "What's wrong?"

"What are you doing in your mothers bed."

Rory sat up slowly and gently moved off the bed, she looked at her mother who was still sound asleep.

"Mom wanted me to join her, I didn't hurt her I promise." Rory exclaimed concerned she was about to endure the wrath of Emily.

Emily just sighed then apologised to Rory, "I'm sorry that I scared you, I just didn't want Lorelai to get hurt. I guess I overreacted. I just, I just don't want her to be in any more pain."

"I understand, I don't either but Moms fine. She really is so much better and she can't wait to go home" said Rory.

"I just talked with the doctor he still thinks it will be awhile. He's still concerned about her level of pain" said Emily sadly.

"Oh" was all Rory could say as disappointment overwhelmed her.

"I think you should go home Rory, you have a lot to do getting ready for college. I talked with Richard and he wants to take you home, while I stay with Lorelai."

"No" Rory almost shouted, "I'm not leaving her, she needs me."

"I'll be here sweetheart and soon we'll all be home. I think Lorelai would want you to be back home especially now that your able."

"No" Rory repeated.

"Rory please, you can go home sweets" said Lorelai, making the others jump unaware she had woken up too.

"Mom I'm not leaving, I won't" Rory replied.

"Rory please, please. I won't let you miss out on Yale, not after everything we've been through to get you there." Lorelai said softly.

"I want you there, not here with me in this hospital" Lorelai reiterated after a short pause.

"I think you should listen to your mother, she knows best" said Emily.

"Can I get that in writing" Lorelai joked as she smiled at Rory. "Really honey I think this is for the best. I'll be home soon and I have your Grandma here to help me."

"Can I have that in writing" Emily teased, amazed that Lorelai would ever ask her for help.

"You really want me to go" Rory finally said sadly.

"I really want you to go to Yale and you can't go there here. Please Rory I really think this is for the best."

Rory sighed as she looked at the cast on her mothers leg, the cast on her arm and the IV still attached to her hand. Then she looked at the stubborn glint in her mothers eyes and knew she couldn't fight this.

"Okay."


	8. Chapter 8

A few days after making her decision to leave Rory was standing over her mothers bed gently hugging her goodbye.

"Please get well soon and come back home" she begged as she kissed Lorelai's cheek.

"I will, now look after yourself. Keep off your leg as much as possible and get Grandpa to help you when you move into your dorm."

"I will, promise me you'll call me everyday" asked Rory.

"I doubt you'll want me to call you everyday, your going to be pretty busy when you get back."

"I do, if you don't I'll get Grandma to make you" threatened Rory,

"Okay fine I'll call you everyday until your sick of me. Just promise me you'll look after yourself."

"I will" said Rory solemnly as she crossed her heart with her fingers, "cross my heart."

Lorelai reached up to kiss her a final time, as a reluctant Rory slowly inched out of the room.

Emily kissed Richard goodbye as he promised to call the minute they got back, then she kissed Rory and wished her a safe trip home.

Richard moved to kiss Lorelai, as he patted her hand gently and made her promise to ask for help when needed.

Then the travellers walked away together, Rory pulling Emily along in her wake.

Once they were outside the room Rory released her hold on Emily and looked into her eyes, "Promise me you'll look after Mom."

"Of course I will" Emily replied a little testily.

"You won't upset her" she asked uncertainly as she held Emily back from re-entering Lorelai's room.

Emily stared at her granddaughter for a moment, surprised by the tentative look in her eyes.

"I won't upset her Rory, promise" she finally declared, rolling her eyes up at Richard.

Finally they left and Emily returned to her daughter, who was quickly wiping a tissue at her eyes.

"Lorelai" Emily asked with a harshness she did not intend, "You'll see her soon."

Lorelai sighed and slowly nodded her head in agreement, as she shuffled down on the bed.

"There now, you close your eyes for a bit and before you know it we'll all be home" Emily suggested as she stroked Lorelai's soft hair.

Lorelai closed her eyes, shocking Emily with her compliance and was soon fast asleep.

As she slept Emily's thoughts drifted back over everything the girls had been through.

She looked at her daughter, her pale face still marred with cuts and bruises and she sighed.

Emily was nervous at being left behind, she was worried about doing something wrong. She hated the thought of upsetting her daughter especially now when she was hurt and venerable.

She thought about Rory's words and flinched, it made her sad that Rory would assume she would add to her daughters upset.

She stared out of the window defiantly and silently promised herself that she would do her very best.

* * *

Two days later Emily received a call in the early hours, she shifted in her bed and scanned her hotel room for where the telephone was situated.

"Hello" she asked hoarsely still half asleep.

"Hello is that Mrs Gilmore,"

"Speaking" Emily confirmed.

"I'm Sophia, I'm calling about your daughter Lorelai,"

"What's wrong" Emily shouted as her heart leapt into her throat.

"I'm afraid your daughter has taken a turn for the worse, she's running a very high fever and she's been asking for you."

"Fever, I don't understand she was fine when I left her last night."

"The doctor on duty is running tests, I'm sure it's nothing too serious. I just called because she asked for you."

"I'm on my way, tell her I'm coming" said Emily as she hung up the phone.

Emily dressed quickly and thought about calling Richard, but decided it was too late to call him when she glanced at the time.

She ran into the hospital and rushed up to Lorelai's room, concerned as to what she would find when she got there.

She noticed several nurses in the room all standing over her daughters bed busy checking vitals.

Emily walked towards the bed and smiled when she saw her daughter smiling back.

"How are you feeling" she asked as she bend over to kiss her child.

"I'm fine, a little hot, tired" Lorelai replied.

Emily reached over and placed her hand on Lorelai's forehead, then looked up at one of the nurses.

"She's burning up" she said stating the obvious.

"Yes her temperature is a little high, we're monitoring it and running tests to find out the cause" replied the nurse who strangely could converse in English.

"Mom I'm fine" said Lorelai closing her eyes briefly.

"Yes fine" replied Emily with some sarcasm, as she noted the flush to her daughters cheeks and her obvious exhaustion.

The nurses left them alone as Emily sat beside Lorelai's bed, fanning her with a magazine she found close by.

Lorelai closed her eyes again and didn't reopen them, eventually drifting to sleep comforted that her mother was close.

Emily stopped flapping the magazine and stood up, slowly pacing the room. Worry etched all over her face.

She waited for someone to tell her what was wrong but no one came, she waited and waited growing more concerned by the second.

Emily watched Lorelai as she slept, perspiration covering her daughters brow. Her skin mottled with red and white patches.

Emily reached her limit when she heard Lorelai's involuntarily moan, she rushed from the room desperate for some answers.


	9. Chapter 9

Emily walked up to the first nurse she saw and demanded that she tell her what was wrong with her daughter.

Unfortunately the nurse in question did not speak English which left Emily even more frustrated.

"Please can someone tell me something" she shouted finally losing the small hold she had on her emotions.

A woman in a white coat walked towards her and tried to get her to calm down, "Can I help you madam" she asked.

"Thank God someone who speaks English. Please my daughters sick and no one will tell me what's wrong with her."

"What's your daughters name" she asked Emily softly.

"Lorelai, Lorelai Gilmore."

"Okay I'll go and ask at reception, I'll be right back" she replied at she walked away.

Emily watched her go and sighed, then stumped into one of the chairs that was lined up along the wall.

The woman quickly returned and explained that a doctor was on his way to explain the situation.

"Would you like me to stay in case the doctor doesn't speak English" she asked.

"Yes, thank you" Emily said gratefully.

They waited together in silence for a few minutes, Emily nervously twisting a button on her cardigan.

"I'm Kate by the way" the woman suddenly announced,

"Emily Gilmore."

They shook hands briefly then returned to their silence, Emily growing more and more impatient.

Finally a doctor appeared, he introduced himself briefly then sat down on the chair beside Emily.

Kate helped to translate at the doctor explained what was causing Lorelai's fever,

"I'm afraid Lorelai has developed a bacterial infection."

"What, how" Emily asked alarmed.

"This condition was probably caused by her body's decreased ability to clear bacteria from her blood stream. Due to the splenectomy she now has lower levels of protein in her blood plasma which we need to help fight off viruses."

"What do we, what do you do now" Emily asked.

"We have begun her on a course of antibacterial antibiotics, hopefully we will see some improvement soon" replied the doctor.

Emily sighed as she took in what the doctor was saying, "Is this serious" she asked.

The doctor paused as he listened to Kate's interpretation, then he too sighed and shook his head.

"Yes, this is relatively serious. Lorelai is in no means out of the woods so to speak. But the medication should help her and her age and general good health stands her in a very good position.

"What if the medication doesn't work" Emily asked uncertainly.

"Lets just cross that bridge if we come to it" the doctor replied.

"Lets cross it now" shouted Emily.

The doctor seemed to understand Emily without the interpreter this time as he reached for her hand.

"If the medication fails, then we try another. If that fails then we try again. If nothing works then I'm afraid your daughter won't survive this."

Emily gasped at Kate's words, she slumped back in the chair her face white with shock.

Kate quickly went to fetch her some water while the doctor tried to comfort her by gently squeezing her hand.

She composed herself quickly as she suddenly thought of something she needed to know, "Does Lorelai know."

"No, she was sleeping when I started her new IV medication. Sleep is the best thing for her right now" he explained.

"Okay" was all Emily could say in way of a response, as she stood up and slowly walked away.

As she walked back towards Lorelai's room she cursed herself for sending Richard away with Rory. She really needed him now, someone to be there for her while the unimaginable happened.

She looked at the time again and realised it was the middle of the night back home, too early to call him she decided.

When she re-entered her daughters room she was relieved to see Lorelai still fast asleep. She knew her daughter needed to know what was wrong, but Emily was reluctant to be the one to tell her.

Emily looked around the room that imprisoned her and Lorelai. She looked at the magazines Rory had left and the candy covering all the available surfaces and suddenly she began to cry.

Emily thought about her daughters progress and the plans they had made to return home in a fortnight.

She kept crying unable to stop, would Lorelai ever see her home again she thought sadly. How mad would Rory be at missing the opportunity to say goodbye, would she blame her Emily reflected.

There was a knock on the door and the woman from before slowly entered. Emily looked up and immediately wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Sorry I just dropped in but I wanted to make sure you were all right" Kate explained.

"I'm fine" said Emily in a flat dead tone.

"Could I sit with you for a while" Kate asked.

"I don't want to trouble you. I'm sure your busy with your work."

"It's no trouble, I'm taking a break right now anyway. I work in the lab and we're not that busy today" she explained.

"Are you a doctor" asked Emily,

"A technician" said Kate.

Emily nodded like she knew what a technician was, while Kate chatted about her work.

"Your English is very good, where did you learn to speak so fluently" Emily suddenly asked.

"My mother was born in England so I pretty much picked it up from birth."

"That's nice, it's good to be bilingual. I'm not very skilled in that area myself but my husband has a real gift for other languages."

"Where is your husband" Kate asked uncertainly.

"He left a few days ago to take my granddaughter back to America. She was in the accident with my daughter."

"Is she okay" Kate asked.

"Not too bad, she broke her leg and her collar bone."

"And your daughter" inquired Kate.

"Much worse" Emily said sadly, prompting Kate not to push the subject anymore.

They sat together for a while in silence both looking at Lorelai as she slept.

"Your daughter's beautiful" Kate suddenly exclaimed.

Emily smiled at Kate's words and nodded her head in agreement. "Her eyes are beautiful too it's a shame you can't see them. Their so blue, a lovely deep blue."

A tear fell from her eye at her words and she quickly wiped it away before Kate could see.

"I'm sorry about your daughter" Kate said softly as she noticed the breakaway tear.

"Thank you" was all Emily managed to get out.


	10. Chapter 10

Emily was sitting beside her daughter, blankly staring at her peaceful face. It had been days since the doctors diagnosis and so far Lorelai's condition had not improved.

On Lorelai's insistence Rory had not been informed, remaining ignorant to the dangers that surrounded her mother.

"I don't want her to know" Lorelai had explained immediately after hearing the news herself.

"Why" Emily had asked softly.

"She just started college, I don't want to add to her stress."

"Lorelai she won't thank you for keeping her in the dark, she's eighteen she's not a child."

"I don't need you to remind me how old she is, I was there when she was born. I just don't want to upset her, she's already been through so much in the past few weeks."

Emily sighed as she looked at her daughter, who was getting increasingly worked up.

"Okay" she agreed hoping to calm her down, "I won't tell her I promise."

* * *

Two days later and Emily was wishing she had never made such a promise.

Lorelai was still running a high fever and had recently developed a violent cough.

The doctors had confirmed Pneumonia and were quick to begin oxygen therapy, but so far her condition was still unstable.

Emily had been sitting in the same position for hours, reluctant to leave Lorelai alone after the days events.

The day had started well, Lorelai had seemed brighter and her breathing was less laboured. But as the day progressed she became more and more uncomfortable. Her posture changed repeatedly and her temperature spiked.

Emily had been driven almost demented when she watched someone inject her daughter with a sedative.

"What's going on, why are you giving that to her" she had asked.

"Mrs Gilmore, Lorelai's body needs to rest. She's exhausted and delirious from the fever. The sedative will help her relax and hopefully when she wakes later her temperature will have dropped."

Emily seemed appeased and settled down next to Lorelai to watch as she slept.

She hadn't moved since and was starting to notice an ache in her back and a numbness in her backside.

She stretched in her chair and moved to get up when suddenly Lorelai awoke.

"Rory" she asked in a strange stoned voice.

"Lorelai it's me sweetheart, it's Mom" Emily said as she stroked her daughters forehead.

"Rory" she asked confused as she tried to open her eyes.

Finally she managed to open them and noticed her mother staring expectantly at her.

"Can we go home now" she asked strangely.

"No we can't go home yet, you need to get better first" Emily replied.

"I want to go home, I want to see Rory. Rory where's Rory, Rory" she shouted as she tried to get out of the bed.

"Lorelai please calm down, Rory's not here you know that."

Emily reached over to hold her daughter in the bed, but Lorelai just pushed her away.

Lorelai pulled away from the bed and shakily stood up, holding the wall for support. Emily pressed the call button as she tried to get hold of her daughters hand to steady her.

"Lorelai please get back in bed, your not strong enough to be walking around" begged Emily.

"No, I'm looking for Rory. Rory" she shouted again.

"What's going on" asked a nurse as she entered the room. Lorelai didn't answer, she was too busy coughing as she tried to stay upright.

"Help me get her back to bed" said Emily as she clutched her daughters arm.

"No" Lorelai spluttered as she slumped towards the floor, quick to react Emily grabbed her waist and gently lowered her to the ground.

"Rory" Lorelai whispered as she lost consciousness, her head resting in her mothers lap.

"I don't understand what just happened" Emily said later as two orderlies lifted her daughter back to her bed.

"She didn't know who I was, she didn't understand where she was. She just kept shouting for her daughter."

"Please sit down Mrs Gilmore, I understand how upsetting that was. I've paged her doctor and he's on his way" said the nurse softly.

"Okay" Emily replied as she sunk into the nearest chair.

She looked at Lorelai sleeping, or maybe she was unconscious she wasn't sure anymore.

"Mrs Gilmore" said the voice of Lorelai's doctor as he hurried into the room.

The nurse was able to translate as he began to discuss his concerns surrounding Lorelai.

"What just happened, why was she was acting so strangely" asked Emily.

The doctor checked on his patient then proceeded to have a long conversation in French with the nurse.

Emily listened, feeling hopeless at her lack of understanding. Eventually the doctor noticed Emily, holding tightly to her daughters hand.

"Mrs Gilmore, I want to move Lorelai back to the ICU" the nurse translated.

"What! why?" Emily asked in a small soft voice that was not her own.

"Her condition has deteriorated and the confusion she exhibited today has me concerned. Also I'm aware she has been quite agitated today and with a more pronounced fever."

The doctor pulled out his stethoscope and listened to Lorelai's chest, he sighed as he looked up at Emily.

"The congestion is worse, she really needs to be intubated before her breathing gets any worse."

"What" Emily asked.

"Your daughter needs help with her breathing. Once she's taken up to ICU, she will be put on a ventilator. I see in her notes she was ventilated shortly after her accident, it will be much like it was then."

Emily had started to cry, she nodded her head as she dropped her daughter hand.

"I have to make a phone call" she suddenly exclaimed as she ran from the room.

Emily marched up to the pay phones and began to dial the long number she had memorised.

She waited as it rang and on the third ring a familiar voice greeted her, "Hello."

"Richard" she gasped.

"Emily, what's wrong."

"Lorelai's worse and I need you" she replied after a long pause.

"What's happened."

"Pneumonia" was all Emily was able to get out as she began to sob again.

"What do you mean. Please Emily try to calm down, I don't understand what your saying."

The line was silent for a while, as Emily tried to collect herself. Richard listening to her heavy breathing and lessening sobs felt useless.

"Emily?" he asked each time the silence became too much for him.

"I'm still here" she spluttered. "Oh Richard, I'm so scared."

"Please, what's happened" he begged.

"Richard Lorelai has pneumonia, their taking her back to the ICU. She's having difficulty breathing, their going to use the ventilator again."

"Dear God" Richard exclaimed.

"I think, I think we might lose her" Emily announced sadly.

Richard collapsed into his chair and joined Emily in her tears. "I'm on my way" was all he could say.

"Rory" Emily sobbed.

"Her too" he replied.

"No, Lorelai didn't want her upset"

"I don't care, that girl needs to see her mother. She'd never forgive us if we stopped her saying goodbye."

"Richard don't."

"I'm sorry, but Rory needs to come regardless. I'm going now to book a flight for us.

Please try to hold it together and I'll be there soon."

"Okay, I love you"

"I love you too."


End file.
